Werelucario
by Greg the Lucario
Summary: Intended to be my most realistic piece of Fanfiction Tells the story of Greg, a boy who is trying to be friends with a girl named Nancy, and avoid his rival, Francis. However, a bizarre genetic condition manifests within him, warping him into a Lucario.
1. Chapter 1

WERELUCARIO

Foreword: this story approaches similar themes, and a similar main character to several of mine before, however, this story's protagonist, Greg (named after me) is meant to be even more of a resemblance of myself, and the story is focusing on a more realistic view of the events that occur, so this story may be quite different to my others.

Things had been pretty normal, up till then… I was (and still am) sixteen years old, I was relatively healthy, and most of all, my social life was very normal (though admittedly, not particularly big). I had no particularly big thing for pokemon at the time… I just saw them as another kind of animal that inhabited our world. I woke up one morning, and let out a long moan… "Monday… school again… and maths… why do you tease me like this, fate?" I jumped as my door swung open, and my mother came in with a basket of freshly ironed shirts "c'mon, get up you slob" I smirked "I don't think people would call me a slob if they knew I had to get up every day at seven AM just to catch a bus…"

She rolled her eyes, moving the conversation along "anyway… that maths work you were set…" at those words, I felt the anger in me return… the previous night, I had been set an incorrect maths exercise, a mistake on the teacher's part… my mother insisted that I was to do the task anyway, but I knew that'd be pointless extra work. I looked her in the eye… I am most irritable in the mornings, and easily angered… "look, I don't give a damn if I should do it or not, she made a mistake, end of!" my mother glared back "don't blame me when your in a detention…" I grumbled to myself… how could she be so ignorant?… then… that's when it happened…

For a brief second… no more than two, my vision blurred quite a lot, then it returned to normal… I blinked a bit, then looked at my mother… only to see her staring back with a look of absolute shock and disbelief. I worried immediately that something had went disastrously wrong in the region of my face "what… what is it?" she spluttered "Greg!… you're eyes… just turned red!" I tilted my head and looked at her… was she fooling me around? The power of reason overcame me and I looked in the mirror… I gasped… she was completely right, all the colour in my irises had turned pure red… but… why?

"Greg… does this mean you have some… disease?" she said, worriedly, I shook my head "no, the only diseases that change your eyes are really obvious in other ways… I'm… I'm fine… I think…" she half smiled "then your still going to school matey" and walked out the room… I sighed, and finished getting dressed. The rest of the morning went by as per normal, no-one noticed my altered eyes until I got off the bus outside school… the head teacher gave me an odd look "Greg… have you been experimenting with narcotics?… you know drugs aren't allowed in this school, or in it's pupils for that matter…" I shook my head vigorously "oh, no, no sir… this is… well, I'm not sure, it happened this morning… must just be my genes or something… I don't know…" he didn't seem impressed with my answer "well… just remember, no drugs"

As I got into the classroom where we waited each morning to be registered and recorded, I attracted a myriad of different looks from my class, ranging from confusion, to curiosity, and even to anger. I took my normal seat… but immediately, the seat next to me was taken by my long-term enemy, Francis. I appreciate that 'enemy' might be a strong word to describe a classmate, but he had been spending every second of his free time annoying me for the past five years… everything about him enraged me, his crooked smile, his always perfectly clean black hair (I myself had a hard time keeping my hair clean, as it was quite long) and even his name was annoying to me now. "Hi…" he slurred sarcastically, as he punched my shoulder… I glared at him "go find a grave and throw your self into it…" he tutted slowly at me, then slapped my cheek… I felt even more angry than I had this morning this time… I began to feel an itching sensation in my wrists, I put it down to being the urge to punch him in the face and nothing more… but I couldn't resort to violence, I'm not that kind of person.

He continued to berate me, claiming that my eyes showed I had caught a 'brand new strain of AIDS', and that I should 'kill myself, for humanity's sake'… I felt I couldn't put up with it any more… and I slowly raised my fist in anger… but then… almost as if it were divine intervention trying to keep me pure, I was subdued by a horrendous pain in my wrist. I yelled out, and clutched it… only I then had to move my hand out the way, as from both my wrists, a pair of sharp spikes slowly slid fourth… I watched in horror as they extended to the length of ice-cream cones, but were even broader at their base… just what the hell was happening to me!?!

As the pain subsided completely, I noticed a crowd had gathered around me… I half grinned "what're you looking at?" for once in my life, I was thankful for the gang culture in my class, as they all shuffled off, believing it would ruin their credibility if they took interest in anything other than themselves, their girlfriends and their R&B music. I sat back and sighed… my emotions were confusing, a mix of relief at the pain subsiding, and bewilderment at my new… features… as far as I knew, a human had never had their eyes turn red from anger, let alone grow spikes… I sighed "well… at least it's just my wrists"

The first lesson was English, however, I went to the school doctor shortly before to see his opinion on what had happened to me… he looked me over in a way that hinted at 'I don't like my job but I do it anyway', then said "well… I'm not entirely sure… your skin around the spikes has healed completely, so whatever this is, it must be genetic… I expect it's some kind of spontaneous mutation, only minor of course, but it might not be over yet… tell me, what brought it on?" I sighed "this is going to sound lame, but when I got angry, it happened…" he smiled "I know what you mean, but it makes sense… the adrenal rush probably triggers the alterations in your body… I expect the worst of it is over, but if you don't want to change any more, then I advise some serious chillaxing" I laughed… 'Chillaxing'? he was definitely not a highly qualified medical professional… but I had to go with his word.

I reached the English lesson, and we set about dissecting a random piece of text from a book, it was a book on pokemon evolution, both of the instantaneous kind, and the slow process that occurred over millions of years. The English teacher's bellowing voice rang out all of a sudden "alright, you need to form up into pairs for the next exorcise!" I clutched my ears… her voice was normally at a deafening volume, but this time… it was so much louder… as if my hearing was more sensitive. Before I could think to choose a partner, she went on to say "I'll be choosing who you work with… okay… you, with you, you with you…" I watched as she proceeded to pair up my friends one by one…until, in the end, there were just four of us left… me, Francis, the short guy called Nick, and Nancy, the girl I… to be honest, had some feelings for… if we were paired up, that'd be ideal. "Okay then!... Greg, you're with Francis!" she bellowed… I cringed, just the result I wasn't hoping for at all. I immediately stood up and approached the teacher, and implored "miss… please… you can't pair me up with him… he's… he's…" I suddenly remembered what the doctor had told me "it's bad for my health!" she shook her head "oh come on Greg!... he's not some kind of psychopath!" I shook my head "look… seriously… you see this?" I showed her my wrists "that's his fault… c'mon, help me out here…" she sighed "I can't flip flop on this one, you two just get along and work" Francis walked up to me, and, standing on my foot, smiled "let's have some fun, AIDS boy" I growled "back off" he just smiled "oh, you aren't intimidating at all… in fact… you're nothing, so just crawl into a corner and die before you stain me with your uselessness" I would have tried some comeback… but yet again I had been angered, and yet again, there was a mounting pain… this time in the dead centre of my chest… I screwed my eyes shut and said "you're… a pain, you know that?" he grinned "I'm glad scum like you appreciate my efforts" suddenly, with the sound of ripping fabric, another spike thrust itself from my chest, I fell back, panting… I could only hope and pray that was the last one, the last thing I wanted to be was a human porcupine… "I knew it… your some in-bred mutant aren't you?" he said in a mocking voice, I glared at him "this is all you're fault… if only I knew just what in the world is happening to me…" he shrugged "whatever, you're a waste of space, really"

The teacher realised the mistake of putting me and Francis together, and separated us for the rest of the lesson… I was paired up with Nick instead… he's an okay guy, but I felt sorry for Nancy, having to sit with that jerk the whole lesson. At the gap between English and Science, I headed back up to the doctor, I was seriously worried by then, and after all, it's not every day you start to warp in really odd ways just because you're ticked off. When I walked in, I noticed he was busy browsing the internet, he looked around and said "Greg… just in time, please… take a seat, this is deadly important…" I sat down nervously… I had the feeling that these changes were a lot more than just a temporary deviation. He looked around "have you ever heard of Triggered Genetic Re-Affirmation Disorder?" I shook my head, but from the words that constituted its long name, I could guess what he was hinting at "so… you've found out what's happening to me then?" he nodded "indeed… I took a small DNA sample from you after you left... just a loose hair, and I tested it… I have some bad news for you, but I don't know how to break it to you…" I rolled my eyes "oh god, I'm going to die aren't I?" he shook his head "oh heavens no… well… I'll break it to you gently… you know your eyes changed… red eyes, what do they remind you of?" I thought for a moment "uhhhm… photos?" he shook his head "no, no… okay… think red eyes… and the spikes you have, in the places they are in… come on, what does that remind you of?" I thought again… "uhhhm… it reminds me of Lucarios… but… how's that relevant?..." then, I worked it out by myself… but he confirmed my suspicions.

"Greg, your human genes are unstable… and whenever they are exposed to large concentrations of adrenaline, they'll begin to change… and judging by what I could gather from your scans and the internet… you're changing into a Lucario" I sat there, dumbstruck… it was like some strange story, or a cartoon… or a film… I could hardly believe it, but it was happening. "Well… th… thanks for telling me… I take it… its irreversible?" he nodded solemnly "if you avoid stress completely, the transformation could take about a month, but it's highly possible it could be finished in mere hours if you become completely enraged" I gingerly asked him "will I… still be able to talk?" he nodded "I'd imagine so, but you'll have no thumbs, so I'd seriously consider getting a scribe for your work at school in future" I nodded, he smiled "c'mon… it's not all that bad… in fact, I know people who'd kill for this to happen to them" I sighed "well… that's not the problem… it's just, well… it's all so sudden, I mean… I'd like to do a few things as a human still…" he laughed "then you'd better not get stressed… I wish you all the best, Greg…"

With that, I left the room… my fate was sealed, but at least I had some time to prepare myself… one thing was for sure, I had to stay the hell away from Francis at all costs. However, luck turned back to hit me in the face yet again, and he was literally waiting outside… he had listened in to the entire conversation. "I knew you were meant to be a smelly little animal all along, it was only a matter of time until reality corrected itself" I tried my hardest not to take offence to what he was saying, but it was hard "aren't you… like, amazed or something?... how come you're still trying to annoy me?" he laughed "if I do annoy you, you'll transform faster, and hopefully it'll be an improvement on that hideous face you have" I could barely suppress my feelings… but I had to hang on…just a little longer "please man, stop… this is really important" he simply shrugged "yeah, I know, and I want to play a part in it… I can't wait to tell you to 'go fetch'…"

That was it, my teeth began to ache, all of them shrinking back, apart from my canines, which instead extended to twice the width and length… it finished, and I stood there, gasping for air "s… see… what you're doing?... j… just stop!" he walked off, saying "I'll leave you for now… but by hell I will finish your little transformation by the end of the day!" I leaned against the wall, putting my face in my palm… I couldn't control my emotions, and as a result, I was going to become a Lucario, for seemingly no reason. The bell rang and signalled that Science was about to begin, so I reluctantly got up and headed over to the labs. Inside, I attracted even more stares than last time… I could only imagine what it'd be like when the transformation was complete. I decided it was best to focus on the teacher, and try not to attract Francis' attention… he began to say in his dreary voice "today we're testing the effects of intelligent enzymes… they break down and dissolve certain compounds only… I must stress, our school uniforms are made of a material that they can dissolve very quickly, as are most clothes, so please don't get any of the solution on your uniforms" I smiled, remembering the time that the class above us performed the same experiment, and one of the girls accidentally dissolved her skirt…

Snapping back to the work at hand, I set about mixing the chemicals… however, I heard a voice nearby… Francis was talking with the teacher… "Sir… can I ask you a biology question?" I heard the teacher make a sound as if to say yes, he went on to ask "if someone, say, got really embarrassed… would they have a big adrenaline rush?" I froze dead… I knew that he had hatched a most heinous plan, I knew full well my time being mostly human was about to end… but there had to be something I could do, something. I turned around to see Francis with a broad grin on his face, holding a flask of the test enzyme in his hand… I began to panic "sir!... please, I mean it, get him away from me!" the teacher put his hand on my shoulder and said "I know your having a hard time, Greg, but you don't need to worry, Francis is completely fine" I shook my head "no, you don't understand, he plans to!..." but it was too late.

With a shout, he hurled the flask at me, I went to shield my face, but it struck my waist instead, and shattered, the liquid splattering over my belt. For a brief second, nothing seemed to happen, and I sighed with relief… it wasn't to last, however as, in front of the entire class, my trousers fell to the ground! When, in normal circumstances, I would be embarrassed… I instead became mad… angrier than I had been all day, in fact, all year. I tried to resist my own feelings, knowing I was expediting my own bizarre fate… but I could not, all I could see was my hatred for Francis, and all I could hear was the chorus of laughing classmates. Then, it happened… I stopped dead again… my ears began to fill with a ringing sound, I could taste a metallic flavour in my mouth… my entire body began to sting with pain… this was it.

One by one, the classmates cottoned on and stopped laughing… they simply watched me in a mix of terror and revulsion. With a loud crack, my hands began to re-form, slowly warping into a pair of paws, I could feel the same in my feet, the pain only subsiding when they completely broke my shoes. I bent over double as my entire head began to re-shape. My nose thrust forwards, my ears slowly climbed up onto the top of my head, and formed into large canid versions. My entire back began to burn as my spine extended out a whole meter, quickly forming a tail with a bend three-quarters the way down it's length. The severe discomfort ended as my body sprouted fur, and my general figure bent to it's new shape, I was hoping I'd be at least a little human by the end of it, but such was not the case… all I had in common with my class now was my intellect, speech, and the ability to stand on two legs… I was now, in almost every respect, a Lucario.

I looked up, tears in my eyes, and reached out to the teacher "s… see… what he has done?" he backed away slowly, staring at me in horror "I… I don't know what to say… what just happened to you?" I looked at the floor with downcast eyes "well… I think you all know what… but I don't really know why… I'm told it's irreversible…" still thoroughly freaked out, he uttered "I… I'm sorry… you… can still… learn, right… your still sentient" I half-smiled "yes… yeah I am…" without warning, Nancy stood forward from the semi-circle of shocked pupils and put her hand on my shoulder… I looked up at her eyes… for a brief second, I realised… there was some hope. "Greg, it's not all gone wrong… c'mon, what difference should this make?... you're still that funny guy in the corner, the one we all like, even if you're… you're…" I laughed "a monster, hmm?" she cringed a little "ohh… don't say that… I think you're kind of cute actually" I blushed "well… thanks, I…" I was interrupted by our teacher, as he turned to Francis, who was still grinning "you foolish boy!... your mucking about has severely jeopardised his education!... he'll need a scribe to write for him now!" Francis began to laugh "I know, it's so funny!... oh man, I crack me up…" without further delay, he was kicked out the classroom. "Greg… do you feel you can carry on with the school day, or do you want to go home?" I thought for a moment, then sighed "I can stay… if I went home, it'd only be letting him win…" he nodded, and turned to the class, clearing his throat "well… there's no denying it, Greg is not human any more… but I still want you all to treat him the same as before, he's still a person… and can someone please help him write down his results… I mean… with his paws and all that…" a quiet chuckle went around the room, and Nancy smiled "I'll help, Greg…" I smiled gingerly "okay then…"

I felt the teacher tap my shoulder again to get my attention "Greg… one last thing… should I phone home and tell your parents?" I nodded "they'll need to know… try to break it to them slowly though… and ehh… what's for lunch?... I'm really hungry…" he smiled and said "will do… and, it's bacon today, I'm not sure what the second option is…" I grinned, the thought of meat was a lot more appealing than normal… in fact, I could feel a lot of new sensations… my tail brushing up against the side of the desk… the sounds, now a lot clearer in my new ears, and most significantly of all, the fur… I had utterly no clothing on, after all, my uniform had been shredded by the enzymes, and my transformation… but I still felt warm and cosy…

Maybe it isn't all that bad after all…


	2. Chapter 2

WERELUCARIO

Chapter 2

The science lesson was difficult to say the least, numerous times I dropped or spilt something, and I had to hold pretty much everything with two hands… or should I say paws. No-one else got any real work done either, as they spent almost the entire lesson simply staring at me; they… and indeed I were struggling to get over just what had happened. However, with Nancy's help, things went well enough for me to get results… I never knew how much she liked me until now, but she was holding the tubes, writing down the resultant numbers and times… all I really did was watch. Whilst she was engrossed in one of the many tasks allotted, I felt someone tap my shoulder, it was Nick. "Greg… is this for real?" I smiled "yeah, that's what I thought… but it is… I'm just surprised that no-one has fainted or whatever"

He smiled "yeah, that's good… so… tell me… do you think you like being a Lucario?" I paused for a few moments, then said "well… from what I've been through so far, it's not too bad… as long as I have Nancy to do all the fine manipulations for me, I think I'll be okay…" she smiled "I'm always willing to help…" she then leant closer, and whispered "but I need to talk to you in private later… I have an idea…" I forced a smile "oh… really?... wonderful…" the last time Nancy had a 'plan', it ended up with me, her and for other guys all in detention. Shortly afterwards, the lesson ended, and we all left for lunch… I stopped outside and waited for Nancy, whilst struggling to keep a grip on my plastic folder. She walked up to me, and said "do you feel alright?... you looked in pain when you… uhhhm… changed…" I shook my head "I'm fine now… thanks for asking… so… you said you wanted to talk?" she nodded, blushing a little "well… you see… I've always wanted to be a trainer…" I nodded "and?" she kicked at the floor lightly, then smiled "but you see… I've never been able to catch anything at all, let alone a Pokémon… hell, I couldn't catch a cold…" suddenly, I realised what she was getting at… "wait a second… don't tell me… you want me to…" she looked at me pleadingly "I promise I won't actually… you know, 'catch' you in one of those balls… it's just… I would like it if… you'd, well… be my Pokémon…" I sighed, and grumbled "I guess… I might as well…" she hugged me, and damn near impaled herself on my chest spike "fantastic!... oh thank you so much Greg!" I rolled my eyes "but I'm still a person… I don't want to be treated like an animal… just because… I happen to look like one" she nodded "oh, sure… I bet you're so strong…" I sighed "probably not, I was a bit of a weed before, I can't imagine I've improved much…" she shrugged "ah well, you've always been clever, I can rely on that… anyway, let's head out onto the field, I want to show you off!" and with that, she held my paw and half-dragged e out onto the playing field.

It was a warm summer's day, and the air was slightly humid, but a cool breeze blew over every now and then. Our school is located by a seafront, so the field, on a summer's afternoon was a pretty nice place to be; luckily I was still comfortable despite the combined efforts of the beaming sun and my new coat of fur. However, my attention was soon turned away from my wonderful surroundings and to the small horde of pupils moving towards me. "Whoa!... this is so freaky man, I thought the year 10s were joking!" I heard a voice ring out, followed by another saying "dude, I know!... I got to bring my ones in someday, get them to fight him!... that'd be cool!" they quickly swarmed around me, staring, prodding and feeling… I sighed… so this is what it's like to be different.

Nancy managed to disperse some of them, saying "c'mon guys, it's nothing you haven't seen before!" unfortunately for me, that was a lie… indeed, where we were, Lucario were incredibly sparse, so that alone was enough to attract a crowd, let alone the fact that I was once a human being. Eventually, the novelty of the mob faded, and I began to get annoyed with the constant poking. "People… can you please just stop? Seriously, you're treading on my tail and everything…" the majority of them shrugged and walked off, leaving only a few behind, still keeping an eye on me. Suddenly, a worrying thought pervaded my mind… what if people didn't know I am… or was a human? "Nancy… I have this horrible feeling people won't be able to tell me apart from a normal Lucario…" she smiled "and how many normal Lucarios talk?" I paused… "well… a few, but not many" she nodded "exactly" and patted my shoulder again "I'm sure you'll do just fine…" I sighed "yeah… thanks… it's nice having you backing me up…" she laughed "yeah and I promise I won't put you on a leash" I rolled my eyes "I'm worried that thought is in your mind, Nancy… it probably means your contemplating it…" she looked side to side, confirming my point "uhh… well… maybe just for a little while…" we both sat down, looking up at the sky.

"I wonder what my mother's going to say…" I said, slowly swaying my tail from side to side… Nancy mumbled "I have no idea… I hope she understands though…" I laid back, resting flat "well, she's already been told, either she's cool with it, or she's in her car driving here right now, screaming 'are you okay my baby'…" Nancy laughed "yeah, I could envision that…" it seemed my mind would not cease to be plagued with negative thoughts… I now realised another problem that could occur "Nancy… you know you keep a load of birds at your house?" she replied "uh-huh… is that a problem?" I muttered "if there's one thing I've learned from all my friends who became trainers, it's that every type has a weakness… Lucarios are a blend of 'fighting' and 'steel' right?" she nodded "yup… nice combination" I shook my head "that's not the point… all your birds are flying types… if they pick a fight with me…" she began to laugh aloud "oh Greg, you wuss!... they're in cages, and they're all fat and small anyway!" I blushed "yeah, you're right… I hope I don't have to do any fighting… or at least, none in the near future…" she smiled "oh come on, it'll be fun… plus, you have that crazy Aura stuff, you'll be ale to stand up to any of the half-baked creeps the people at this school call their own" I perked up "oh yeah… Aura… this means… yeah, I have that really cool sight ability, don't I!... ahh… watching all those documentaries has finally paid off!"

She grinned "why don't you test it out now?" I nodded, and got to my feet… or should I say paws… and surveyed the field. I remembered back to the documentary, it said that Lucarios had to concentrate to activate their second sight… so concentrate I did. However, just as it began to work, a bell rang out, signalling that the year 11 pupils were now allowed to get lunch… we both quickly abandoned my little practice and made a bee-line for the hall.

We joined on to the back of the queue, and waited… the scent wafting from the kitchen was driving me nuts, normally it just smelt like food… but now, now it was the strongest smile of paradise. I smiled and said to myself "this must be what it's like for my dog…" abruptly, as the teacher monitoring the hall walked away, the pupils in the line began to push and shove each other, a common occurrence, they just love wreaking havoc. However I was caught in the middle… now I was a Lucario, I had a much better chance of getting through the situation without injury, but I was much more likely to injure someone else with my spiky appendages… I knew I couldn't stay, it was too risky. With a sigh, I walked out of the line and left the hall, leaning on the wall outside, sometimes things just went against me, this was one of them. But then… then I heard a voice nearby… it was that of the deputy head teacher "Greg… are you alright?" I nodded "yeah… I'm fine, I just left the line… they were shoving about, and I knew that I'd only end up hurting someone by accident" I said, motioning towards my chest-spike. She asked "but… aren't you hungry?" I faked a smile and said "no, miss I…" but I was interrupted by a loud and drawn-out groaning sound from my stomach… she smiled and said "don't lie to me, Greg… anyway, let's go get you something to eat" and beckoned me to follow her into the hall through it's other entrance, which we are only normally allowed to exit by.

"But… miss… isn't this against the rules?" she simply grinned and said to me "I write the rules, darling…" and told me to stay still whilst she want to get me lunch… I noticed her talking with the dinner lady… she walked out of sight, then came back into view with a large hunk or meat and nothing else… the deputy head then approached me with it, and smiled… my eyes lit up "is that… f… for me?" she nodded "yes, Greg… I felt it was only right that we give you a… special lunch today, after all that happened" as a human, I'd never have dreamed of eating something so crude, but I am a Lucario now, and as such, it was the most appetising thing I had seen all week. "Th… thank… thank you miss…" I uttered before sinking my teeth into the fresh, yielding meat… she rolled her eyes and said "at least sit down first, lest you want the whole school thinking your nothing but a wild beast…" I blushed and nodded, quickly sitting down on an empty table before continuing to tear at my prize. I paused halfway-through as Nancy sat down next to me, with her plate of normal food… "hey Greg… I see they cater for Lucario in different ways to humans…" she joked, patting me on the back. I smiled "you know, when it first began to happen this morning… the transformation… I thought I was doomed, I actually resented the idea of becoming something else… but now… I actually think I like this…" Nancy laughed "whoa Greg, you make it sound so cheesy… next you'll be telling me you love me…" I froze on the spot… soon enough, I probably would fall in love with her… I could only hope she way joking around…

"So, what's it like being a Lucario then?" she said… I replied "I have a feeling I'm going to be asked that question a lot… well, pretty good I guess… I love the tail… and… and well, every part of me looks great… and I don't have to wear school uniform anymore!" she raised an eyebrow "how come?" I laughed "school colours are black and blue with a gold trim, I'm permanently those colours now" she nodded "oh yeah… how could I not realise?" I resumed devouring my meat as she sat beside me… "Greg… it must be odd getting used to all the new anatomy… I mean, the different body, the senses…" she whispered "the different you-know-what…" in-between mouthfuls I murmured "oh yeah… well… I think I'm used to this body now… it feels just right…" she sighed "yeah, I knew Lucarios suited you down to the ground… I just had no idea you were destined to mutate into one…" I cringed "please don't use the term 'mutate', I prefer to say 'changed'…" she laughed "okay then, 'changed'…"

We both finished and left, it was History next, a lesson I always enjoyed, if only for it's overly nice teacher, Mr. Snowstone. As we headed there, he walked up along next to us… it was somewhat reassuring that he arrived in the classroom at the same time as us, if rather unprofessional. Straight away, he sighed and said "I'm real sorry, Greg… if I could help in any way…" I smiled to him "it's alright… I'm actually growing to like this" his face went blank for a few seconds, then he laughed "I never knew you used to be a 'furry'!" Nancy looked at him and said "sir!… that's a bit personal isn't it!?!" he laughed again "I suppose your right… I kind of knew he was though, after the IT manager found him sifting through those furry websites…" I blushed "well, at least now I have a really decent excuse…" we headed inside and set out our equipment… shortly after us, the rest of the class arrived. History was one of only two lessons which Francis was not in, so it was a great relief. "Okay then folks, get out your textbooks… the blue ones… and turn to page ninety-seven, we're moving on to the pokemon mine coup of the 1850s" as Nancy turned the pages for me, I remembered this period from last year's studies, it was the beginning of the pokemon rights movement… I mused to myself how lucky I am to be living nowadays, and not then, or else I'd be screwed over.

"Now, answer the questions on why humans began to join in with the protests, this was the pivotal turning point which caused the government to cave in…" he began to write and draw on the board, illustrating his points. He turned back around "okay then, after you've all finished that, I have a special task that we can start…" Nancy raised an eyebrow "special task?" he nodded with a mischievous grin "I came up with it earlier today… you know the failed assassination plot in 1853?" we all nodded, and Nancy said "yeah, the one where the second-in-command of the protest leader was almost assassinated by a knife-wielding human, but he managed to fight him off… why?" he laughed "that second-in-command guy was a Lucario… so after this morning's little happening, I have banded together with the Drama department, and we are going to make a small play for the rest of the school…" he pointed squarely at me "… and Greg is going to be the star of the show!" I began to blush heavily… acting? There was a reason why I didn't take Drama as one of my subjects, I tend to get embarrassed when acting… but would this be different?

"Sir, when are we actually doing this thing?" I asked, he laughed "oh not for a while yet Greg, probably at the end of this half term…" I sighed and slumped back into my chair… I couldn't see myself going from humble human to pokemon revolutionary in one day. The rest of the lesson was easy and mildly entertaining as they always were, I was a fan of history, but I preferred the ancient variety to the modern stuff we had to do from now on.

As we left, I went to go to my last lesson of the day… Art, but I felt Nancy's hand on my shoulder "I'm not surprised that you forgot after all that's happened today, Greg, but our final lesson has been replaced by as special assembly, hasn't it?" I rolled my eyes "a LOT of special stuff is happening today…" she giggled "oh come on Greg, it's everyday a genuine Pokemon Ranger comes to your school and does an assembly" I smiled "yeah, I guess, but I hope they…" I paused mid-sentence… Rangers were hard-line protectors of everything natural in the world… how would he or she react when I came into view?… wouldn't they find an ex-human to be something completely wrong in the natural balance of the world? Once again, Nancy's hand patted my back "Quit worrying!… I'm sure they'll be fine about you…" I yelped "how did you know!?!" she laughed "it's so easy to tell when your panicking, your eyes dart about like crazy… you really don't live up to the Lucario macho-man stereotype…" I blushed "hey, it's nice to be different…"

We filed into the main hall and sat down… when the entire senior school was inside, the lights dimmed… I noticed a figure move to the centre of the stage, and the lights flicked back on. He was garbed in an unusual uniform and had a great array of tools, ropes and devices slung on his person… "Hello pupils!" he said in an attempt to mock a rock star at the beginning of a travelling gig. "Are you ready to find out about being a good person in the natural world!?!" there was an abject lack of cheering… he sighed, then began his speech "okay then, well, I'm Richard, and I'm a Ranger… you may have met one of us before, we are a large organisation that spans over half of the world. I myself am from the department of habitat protection and correct waste disposal, I'm the guy who makes sure people don't go damaging or altering the natural habitats of this place…" I whispered to Nancy "I expected a little more fanfare…" out the corner of my eye, I noticed him catch sight of me, immediately he turned to the headmaster and asked "I thought you said they weren't allowed to bring pokemon into school?!?" however… the microphone was still on, and his question resounded around the entire hall, triggering the crowd to burst into hysterics, and I began to blush heavily. The headmaster told him "I apologise for the confusion, but he is Greg, he is one of our pupils, but sadly, he had a genetic disorder which turned him into a Lucario just this morning…" there was a brief silence, for just a second the crowd realised how un-called for their laughter was… "oh… okay… sorry Greg…" he said, waving to me "… may I say you look awesome today… uhhh… being a Lucario really suits you… yeah…" I smiled "thanks, Richard"


	3. Chapter 3

WERELUCARIO

Chapter 3

We left the hall, the presentation was finished, and it was finally time to head home… I had a trying day to say the least, and I just wanted to go and put up my feet… or paws. I boarded the school bus and sat down on my usual spot in the middle… there was a young girl next to me, she couldn't have been more than ten years old, she looked into my eyes and said "hello mister Lucario…" I smiled to her "hey… my name is Greg…" her eyes opened wide "your Gregory?… woaaahh… you're a Lucario now?" I nodded "yeah, I am… it's going to take some getting used to… what's your name?" she grinned "Alice… I'm nine and a half!" her sheer innocence made me want to say 'awww…', but I didn't want to talk down to her. "That's great… I'm sixteen… mind you, I can be pretty childish sometimes" she reached out and put her arm on my thigh "what's it like being a pokemon?" I thought for a moment, then said "well, it's pretty fun, but I need people to help me with fiddly stuff… I only have paws now, no fingers…" she giggled "your all fluffy and warm" I blushed, embarrassed but yet happy with her comment "thank you… you're a nice person, Alice, maybe we should keep in touch…" she nodded "sure!… here's the number for my… m… moby phone, isn't it?" she said, holding out a scrap of paper with numbers on it "close, it's 'mobile phone'… and thanks" I said, taking the number and putting it into my bag. She looked at me with a little more seriousness "are you always going to be a Lucario?" her question struck a nerve… even if I did like being a Lucario more than being a human, it was still hard to swallow. "Y… yes… I need some time to get used to it, but I'll be fine…" she looked me in the eye "what's it like, being in those poke-balls!?!" I shook my head "sorry, I have no idea, I don't like the thought of being 'caught', that's why Nancy is standing in as my trainer, but without using any balls" she laughed "Nancy?… the girl with the big bottom?" I cringed… Nancy was only sitting on the seat behind me, but she did have quite a large ass, and I didn't want to argue with Alice… so I bit the bullet "uhh… yeah, that's the one" there was a brief silence, then I heard a voice behind me "wouldn't you like to know…" I began to protest, but then I suddenly realised the sultry tone I her voice… she had erotic intentions.

I milled over the image in my mind… Nancy actually liked me… like THAT?… I felt a building sensation of anticipation and lust… I began to day-dream about making love to her… but, like a hot knife through butter, my thoughts were cut off by a single sentence. "Greg… why is your thingy sticking up?" Alice said, looking at my crotch… it was then I realised with abject horror, the shit had just hit the fan. I had just got an erection, now I was a Lucario, I had no clothing to hide it… I was in the middle of a school bus, and I was sitting next to a nine-and-a-half year old girl… in an instant, I hurriedly covered my manhood, and began to blush profusely "uhhhm… err… erruuhhh… ahh… well… y'see…" there was no excuse, so I just hung my head "oh, I'm a naughty boy…" Alice patted my back and said "there there, it's okay…"

Luckily, I managed to quell my hard-on enough for it to slink back below my fur-line… just to make sure, I rested my tail over my lap, and put both my paws on top of it. Abruptly, the bus came to a halt… the driver simply sighed "ahh shit" then turned around to us… "okay then kiddies, there's been an accident… the Ford Marsh Crossing bridge collapsed after a stray Tentacruel collided with it's main support and brought the whole thing down… I have just been informed, and so I'm going to have to drop you all off here and then turn back" a moan of irritation swept through the bus… Alice stood up and said "is he okay?" the bus driver laughed "what, that damned jellyfish?… I don't know, probably" the people on board began to file off the bus… it was pouring with rain, but luckily, we were near my mother's best friend's house. However, as I began to walk down the road, I heard a voice from behind me "Greg… I… I…" I turned around to see Alice near to tears "I have nowhere to go…" my conscience kicked in, and I ran back to her, shielding her from the rain with my arm "look… uhh… I… well, I have a friend here, we can stay at her house… c'mon…" I set off, beckoning her to follow me. We dashed through the streets, several times she nearly fell over, but I managed to catch her and keep her going. Finally, we came under the shelter of the front porch… my mother's friend is called Ann, she is a well travelled explorer and tourist… I could only hope that meant she'd react well to her best friend's son having turned into a Lucario. I reached up and attempted to press the doorbell, however, it was a button that a paw just couldn't reach in and press, so I let Alice do it for me.

"Just a minute" the voice responded, in her cheerful yet sarcastic manner… the door opened, and I saw her in front of me. She was a portly woman, not particularly tall… her face slowly changed from a smile to a look of confusion as she saw me "who th' ell are you then?" I sighed "I'm sorry… this is going to be really hard to explain to you, but it's seriously no joke I'm playing here…" her gaze went up and down once more, she then mumbled "I recognise that voice… wait… it can't be…" I nodded "yes… I… I'm afraid so… but… it's not that ba-" she interrupted me "oh whoa! That's a REALLY realistic costume Greg!… ohh it's unbelievable!" I gave a sigh so large that, if this were an anime, a visible cloud would have escaped my mouth. "No, Ann… seriously… I… I had a genetic condition, only found out about it this morning… when it did this to me" she paused… seemingly more embarrassed about making a mistake than she was shocked about the fact that her best friend's son had inexplicably transformed into a Lucario. "I… uhh…" she said "really… well, you'd best come in anyway, it's frightful weather… your little friend too" I nodded, ushering Alice in ahead of me… she gave a slight whimper, unsure of what to make of my mother's nutty friend… I patted her shoulder reassuringly and followed her in. The house was kitted out with the same old décor, Ann and her husband, Ronald did a lot of travelling, particularly to south-equatorial countries, so they both had a brazen tan… their house too was affected by their travels; the walls were hung with all kinds of souvenirs ranging from Zulu shields and spears all the way to shop souvenirs from the Japanese Islands, like Kanto… and the others that I can't pronounce. Ann beckoned us to sit down on her large, semi-circular leather sofa… although it wasn't really important, the fine leather in combination with my now furred rump made it the most comfortable seat I've ever been in.

"I presume you're here after the bridge incident, right Greg?" I nodded "yeah, me and Alice here needed somewhere to take shelter… and I wanted to see you again anyway" she sniggered "that's alright love, as long as your still house-trained!" her and Alice both broke into a laugh, I just sighed again. Ann calmed down and then looked at me seriously "but… I mean, even if you have still got the same brain and all, being a Lucario is much different to being a human… what are you gonna do?… and what about school?" I looked down at the Persian rug, thinking with closed eyes "I… I managed well enough today at school… I guess I just need a scribe to write for me, that's all" Ann grinned, pleased with my answer "good, nice to know you haven't given up hope" I looked up at her "given up hope?… b… but, I like this… this form, it suits me more than being a human ever did" she looked a little confused by my statement, but being a traveller who was jaded by the world, she was very understanding "well, that's good then… h… HEY!, watch where you put that darned spike!" I looked to my left to see that my wrist was dangerously close to the arm-rest… the last time I scratched her leather accidentally, she forced me to clean her kitchen floor, and so it was little surprise when I immediately lifted my arm back to my lap "sorry"

That moment, Ronald walked in… unlike his wife, he was quite tall, and not quite as wide… he had a friendly, if slightly vacant smile and a permanently red nose that boasted a wealth of experience in alcohol consumption. "Hey… who are these two?" he asked, pointing vaguely at me and Alice… I was surprised he hadn't overheard our conversation. "You'll never believe this dear, the little girl is Alice, and the dog… uhh… Lucario… that's Greg, believe it or not!" I blushed a little, and Ron's eyes widened… he quickly waved his hand in front of his face to make sure he was sober, then said "h… how did he… manage to turn into a Pokemon, exactly?" I interjected as politely as I could "it's a genetic condition… it's so rare that only I and two or three other folks ever had it, and I'm the first to actually become a Lucario from it" Ron half smiled "well… I guess… that's interesting, but don't tell me I have to get you chew-toys for Christmas now?" I joined in the group laughter this time "oh no, don't worry Ron… I might not be human any more, but I'm still all for boxes of chocolates!" (I am not sure of why, but after I became a Lucario, I have experienced great cravings for chocolate…) As the evening drew in, Ann prepared the guest room for us, and after several jokes about leashes and dog-beds, she finally finished "there you go, two beds… and they are identical, so don't worry about who gets the best kip or whatever" I nodded to her as she left the room "thanks, Ann… I owe you even more now" she smiled "good, you can clean the kitchen floor again tomorrow" I grumbled "fine…" as her light-hearted cackle faded into the distance, Alice stood by the bed, looking at me awkwardly "Greg… I… think you should leave now" I raised an eyebrow "why? I'm sleeping here too…" she blushed "I… p… please leave" I put my hands on my hips "why should I leave?" she lowered her head "I need to get changed" at that precise moment, I felt like a complete idiot… what's more, it made me out to look like a really shifty guy, I had to clear my name now, or earn the title 'Pervy Lucario' forever more. "Oh! sorry, I forgot! I'll go right away, just say when your finished! Sorry!" and with that, I darted out the room.

In my eagerness to close the door, I accidentally shut it on my tail… I couldn't yell though, that would only complicate things… so I slowly slid my tail out, and closed the door. I held it in front of me and inspected it for injury… to my surprise, it was still immaculate, it just stung a little… obviously being a 'Fighting/Steel' meant it took more than a casual mistake to do me any real harm. "Okay, you can come back in now" I re-entered the room to see her in her night gown… it was partially see-through, but to my relief, she was wearing her underwear underneath. "Well… it's finally time to get some shut-eye… I'll see you in the morning, Alice" she nodded "you too, doggy" I smiled pleasantly at the name… it certainly beat my old nicknames back in school. As I laid down, the adrenaline rush I had from all the unusual happenings today faded, and the exhaustion of my earlier transformation set in… I could hardly move and my body ached… I had to sleep, and sleep I did.


	4. Chapter 4

WERELUCARIO

Chapter 4

I raised my head, and saw the morning sunshine cascading through the window and marking a pattern on the middle of the floor… with a slight yawn, I said "hey mum, it's the weekend, no need to wake me up". Then, I looked down over myself, and was reminded of the fact that I was staying at Ann's place… and that I had turned into a Lucario. I slowly got out of bed, stumbling a little as I adjusted to the floor in the room which must have been a half meter lower than mine at home. Leaving Alice to keep on sleeping, I headed downstairs to find Ann and Ronald watching the news on TV, suddenly, I was wide awake as I heard my name "… we believe Gregory was suffering from a bizarre genetic condition, we tried to act as normally as we could about it, and the pupils made a great effort not to scream at the sight of him… but over five people fainted after being told…" I rushed into the room, and stared intently at the TV… Ann sniggered "your famous…" on the screen, I could see CCTV footage from the school's cameras… it was of me in the lab, just after I had transformed fully… I hadn't noticed it before, but as I did, many of the pupils look horrified… but the teacher begins to talk to them, and most of them seemed slightly more calm. The voice of the correspondent carried on "… it's impossible to say when, or even if this Lucario-boy will ever be accepted into society. Previously recorded cases of Triggered Genetic Re-Affirmation Disorder resulted in the victim being unlawfully executed or exiled, but we've come a long way since then… Angus McCreed, reporting."

I looked down at the floor, deep in thought… so, when everyone was being really nice to me. they didn't want to, they had just been told to do so by the staff? I was the result of a rare genetic abnormality, and if people here were anything like the people in medieval China where it last occurred… I would be shunned for it? I shook my head in defiance, and said to myself "no, that is not the way, I'm just a Lucario now, people are okay with it, they have to be!" Ann looked around at me "Greg, calm down, it's just the news trying to kick up a fuss, it's how they make their living" I sighed, sitting down next to her "you think?" she nodded, and patted my head in-between my tall ears "I know so, they made more of a fuss out of me and Ron's trip to Malaysia than they did with this, sure people might have been a little more freaked out by you than they were told to let on, but nobody hates you for it, we aren't a bunch of barbarians here" I smiled, both at her reassuring wisdom, and the fact her now stroking my head felt really nice "thanks, Ann… I don't know how to repay you" she interrupted me again by simply stating "I told you, clean my kitchen!" I nodded gingerly "yeah, but… I'll go get a drink, I can barely talk here" and with that, I got up and padded into the kitchen.

To my surprise, I managed to lift and pour the carton of orange juice without any mistakes, perhaps I wasn't as incapable as I first imagined. I picked up the glass in both paws, but nearly dropped it as I turned around to see Alice directly in front of me. "Ohh… hey again, had a good sleep?" I said, regaining my grip, she nodded slowly "yes, thank you Gregory" I headed back into the living room with her in tow, and we both took a seat. Ron looked over to me and asked "so if you're a Pokemon now or whatever… does that mean your going to go about fighting others or something?" I thought to myself for a moment, then said "well Nancy, a good friend of mine, said she'd be my 'trainer' if I ever needed one, but to be honest I'd rather try to live a human life" he nodded "yeah, I imagined that was so, who'd want to get squashed into a ball huh?" Alice interjected "actually, they don't just squash into them, they" Ronald interrupted her "yeah yeah, thanks for explaining, but I know how they work… huh, silly Japanese technology, why can't they just catch them and train them like normal animals… like we do" I smiled "well I have no idea which is the most productive, but I do appreciate the sentiment; a pet is for life, not just for fighting others"

After we had gotten something to eat, I decided it was best to head home, before Ann did actually make me clean the kitchen floor. "Say, Alice, where do you live?" she quietly mumbled "West street, last house on the left of the second cul-de-sac" my eyes widened "whoa, no jokes, I live back-to-back with you!" she half smiled "that's nice… but how are we going to get back, after the bridge got damaged?" I smiled to her "don't worry, there is a ford in the river, only about a mile from here" she sighed "but I don't want to walk that far" I rolled my eyes "if you get tired, I'll carry you, okay?" she nodded, and we set off. I couldn't help but regret making that promise to her, as despite the fact I am classified as the awfully gruff sounding 'Fighting/Steel' type, I am still about as physically strong as a twelve year old, though luckily I am pretty durable, as was proven by the little door accident the previous night. After about an hour of carrying the surprisingly heavy girl, I came across the ford in question… it was about knee deep, and quite swift, crossing wouldn't be easy. "Ehh… right then… how are we gonna go about this?" I murmured, putting my paw to my mouth in thought, she smiled "it's easy!… all you have to do is carry me and walk across, you're a Lucario, your all tough and macho and that!"

I stifled a laugh, macho?… yeah right, I make her look gruff because I'm so wussy. "Yeah, alright… stand still, and please don't squirm" I said, hefting her up once again. I tentatively dipped my paw in the water, and as I suspected, it was chill to the touch, and I yelped and withdrew, causing Alice to giggle. I said to myself under my breath "c'mon man, get it together… get it together…" I had to do this, I was the knight in shining armour, saving the damsel in distress!… well, okay, I was a human that had mutated into a Lucario, and I was carrying a small child across a slightly cold river, but the thought was still there! With reckless abandon I charged into the ford, but what was at first a surging, valiant charge quickly turned into me hopping and skipping across the ford, trying to make as little contact with the water as I could "this-is-so-very-very-cold!" I said, speaking in-between jumps… eventually, we reached the other side, and I set her down with a great sigh of relief. She turned to me and grinned "you should be my big Lucario buddy who sorts out all my problems like that, you'd be great!" I felt a little uneasy, having her compare me to what sounded like a Mafia Heavy "ehhm… well, I did kind of promise Nancy that I would be her-" I was cut off as she yanked my tail "I SAID you'd be great, got it?" I forced a smile, my eyes closed "uhh, yeah, sure, no harm in mixed leadership…" she thankfully let go "good, now, Greg, let's head back home" I nodded "you got that right, I can't wait to see mum again…" I looked down at my Lucario body "… even if I do have a lot of explaining to do"

After another few minutes of walking, we reached my home street; it was pretty average looking, save for the fact that my mother had planted a load of those funny Japanese trees with the pink petals (I can't remember what they are called), and in autumn we always go outside and eat under the trees as the petals fall around us… although it's not too smart an idea, as I'm not a fan of having pink petals all over my dinner. "Well, I guess this is where we part" I sad, putting my paw on her shoulder, she nodded "I'll see you later, Greg, maybe we can do something fun tomorrow too!" I went to give her a thumbs up, but then didn't when I remembered I have no thumbs "yeah, great idea… bye!" and with that, we walked in opposite directions… I felt mighty satisfied with myself and all I had achieved in the last twenty-four hours… and my parents had already been informed of my transformation, so hopefully all would go according to plan. I came within about a hundred odd meters of the house before the door burst open and my mum came charging out "oh my dear!" with her arms spread wide, intending to hug me. I stuck my arms out "no, wait!.. you'll hurt yourself!" and she stopped, noticing my spiky new appendages "Greg, I can scarcely believe this… I thought Mr. Davison was joking…" I sighed, looking at the floor "afraid not… but it's not all that bad mum… I actually… I think I like this" she smiled meekly, coming back into the house with me. We both sat down on the sofa in silence, both wondering what to say to the other. Eventually, my mother broke the silence "so what are you going to do now?" I sighed, knowing that difficult question was coming, but it was one that needed an answer "I'm gonna finish with school… but I can't just live my life out like a completely normal human, it's just not possible"

She nodded in agreement "so then… what do you think is the best path to take?" I sighed "you know, I'm getting a lot of offers from people like Alice and Nancy to be their pseudo-pet, I think I may actually have to live the life of a Lucario, rather than a human" my mother put her hand on my thick-furred thigh and stroked it gently in a mothering way "well as long as you are happy, Greg… if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come back and ask me, we only live a street away from those two anyway…" I smiled, putting my paw on top of her hand "thanks, mum… things aren't so bad after all, eh?" she sighed "I guess not". I hugged her at a slight angle, so that I wouldn't bring my spike to bear on her, and she embraced me too "Greg, you may be a… a…" I interjected "a Lucario" she nodded "… you may be a Lucario now, but your still my boy, and I still love you" I grinned "I wouldn't have it any other way, mum" we embraced for what must have been a good ten minutes… before then, I had been hugged by friends, teachers, and even by Nancy… but I had never, ever felt quite as at home as I did then.

The moment was interrupted as my dad came rushing into the room, he had obviously rushed home early from work "good lord, what happened to you, Greg!?!" he said, running up to me and kneeling down so we were at the same level. "Dad, don't worry, I'm alright" I said, a little worried that he was about to lose it completely… "dear lord… my son is a pokemon… this is… I… I need a lie down" me and my mum both sniggered as he rolled his eyes… somehow, things weren't gonna be all that different after all.


	5. Chapter 5

WERELUCARIO

Chapter 5

(NOTICE: I have received more than one review pointing out the fact that, in this story, the characters seem to be under-reacting to the fact that Greg becomes a Lucario… so I feel I should share my thoughts in order to clear things up. I'd like to say that I am not so horrendously out of touch with reality that I believe this is normal, however, even though this story is intended to be more realistic than others of mine such as Coloured Fire, it's still technically Pokemon, so people are pretty jaded when it comes to weird things happening… I thank you for reading thus far and I hope you'll continue to read this story as more chapters are written, thank you for your time. Also, I do admit this story is very much a case of Mary-Sue syndrome, but I hope that won't impact your opinion.)

After about an hour's worth of talking with my mother and father, I decided to go around to Nancy's place and see her, I couldn't be entirely sure of what would happen, but she was my good friend… more than a friend to me, and so I wouldn't be put off by a little doubt. "Okay, mum, I'm heading over to Nancy's, me and her need a talk too" my mother simply nodded, she was still a little shocked over the whole situation, so it was probably best I let her get over things without me around. I fumbled around with the door handle, eventually opening it and left the house, closing the door behind me… I wasn't entirely sure of where Nancy lived, but I knew it was magnetic north from our house, and I could easily recognise the mansion-like house she had from some distance. I started to head up the street cautiously, pokemon weren't a common sight in our area, especially not walking, talking ones that used to be humans, so I attracted a few stares. As I came up to the path that connected my street with the next one up, I could hear voices around a corner…

"Hey, Ice-Pick, we alone now?" anyone with a name like 'Ice-Pick' probably wasn't a constructive citizen, so I decided to remain where I was till they had gone. "Yeah, fo' sure… hey, Gutter, why you lookin' so mad?" a chill ran down my spine as the familiar voice of Francis responded "damnit man, today sucked serious ass" I decided I needed to listen in. Francis, or 'Gutter' as he was unflatteringly dubbed, was consorting with what sounded to be gangster-types… a recipe for disaster. The first speaker asked "elaborate for me, bro" to which Francis responded, with a degree of irritation "did you see the news?… you know, where that ass-tard kid turned into a freakin' pokemon?" Ice-Pick interjected "heh, sure did, that was freakin' nuts, but what's it gotta do with you, man?" Francis grumbled "that inbred freak was in my class, and I teased him, apparently, it made him transform faster or some shit like that, and the teachers went an' expelled me for it, no warnings, no nothin'…" I couldn't help but smile to myself, my Francis problems seemed to be over at last!

Another voice chimed in "I thought you said you hated that school, home-boy?" Francis began pacing up and down, I could hear his footfalls "yeah, but it's the moral of the thing, yeah?… damn pokemon kid really messed things up, and the bitch in charge had a go at me too, man I wish my ma would just can it sometimes" The fact that he was blaming me made me even more nervous… he was out of school, in a street gang, and had nothing to lose. Suddenly, a loud mobile phone ring-tone sounded out, it was the song 'All the Bros and the Hoes', by the artist 'Bitchyn Ryde', which I knew was Francis' favourite song, so it had to be his mobile. "yeah, what is it?…" I turned around and sighed, they would hopefully disperse soon, meaning I could keep going. I looked up, and my heart skipped a beat… there was an angry looking woman staring straight at me, also talking into a phone… I could hear her voice "You homies talkin' on the intersection between blueberry and newhome streets?" I knew I should have fled then and there, but I was frozen to the spot in fear "yeah, that's where we are…" The woman glared down with renewed vigour "there's a pokemon freak eavesdroppin' on ya, just round the corner!" I meekly stuttered "oh c.. crap"

Immediately, Francis, Ice-Pick and the third man went round the corner and formed a semi-circle around me, blocking any hopes of escape… they looked like the stereotypical street-thugs, even Francis blended in with them now that he was out his school uniform. "What the hell kinda game are you tryin' pull, huh?" the third guy said, pointing at me aggressively "hold it, Sparks, this dog is mine to deal with" Francis growled, taking a step closer to me… I looked nervously up at him, tail between my legs "hold on guys, I wasn't trying to listen in, I swear, I was going to Nancy's house!" he grunted, folding his arms "but you just couldn't help havin' a laugh at me, could ya?… I think I'm gonna fix you up right now…" he said, taking a pair of brass knuckles from his pocket, I was in such a state of absolute fear I was bordering on becoming hysterical "please man, please!… I promise, I'll do anything!" he paused for a second… it felt like a whole hour of silence passed as his mouth slowly twisted into a cruel smile "oh yeah?… well, I've got something for you, kiss my feet, NOW!" I nodded profusely, and bent down, kissing the top of his shoe with some difficulty due to my nose getting in the way. "okay… now lick it, make it nice and clean!" he lifted his shoe and presented the sole of it to me… luckily, it wasn't encrusted with grime or filth, but it wasn't exactly shining either. I tentatively reached out with my tongue, and began to lick his shoe. Why was I doing this?… couldn't I just take them on?… no, not possible, I may be a Lucario, but I was still no stronger than the average human of my age. I finished cleaning the sole, and spat the last of the dirt from my mouth. "Good doggie… now get the hell away from me before I break you!" I scrabbled up and ran off, running as fast as I could towards Nancy's house. After nearly being hit by a car, I made it there, and I knocked on the door frantically.

Nancy answered it, wearing her mahogany dressing-gown, and looked at me "oh goodness, Greg, you look like a mess, what happened to you!?!" I staggered inside, only now noticing the tears streaming down my face "Francis… he's in a gang, they ambushed me and… and…" I slumped onto the sofa, crying like a complete coward. Nancy sat next to me and patted my back, rubbing the fur "yeah, that's okay, take a minute to calm down… there there" I looked at her, trying to string together a comprehensive sentence "he threatened me, I had to act like his pet, and he's got company, two of them!" she nodded "I've heard stuff like this before… you'd best stay here for now, you'll be safe" I buried my face in my paws "oh I'm so useless!… what kind of person am I if I'm that weak!?!" she shook her head "don't beat yourself up, man!… look, just put it behind you, and avoid Francis and his yuppies in future" I nodded "yeah, you're right… thanks, Nancy, I'm touched you want to side with me" she laughed "Francis is a jerk, even if you were a complete stranger I'd take your side!" I smiled a little, Nancy was always good at cheering me up "yeah… Nancy, remember what you said to me on the bus?" the smile was wiped from her face "Greg… you do know I was joking, right?… I didn't actually MEAN that!" I nodded, letting a little sigh escape "yeah, I guess" she sniggered "I mean, would that even be legal?"

She handed me a tissue, and I did as best I could to dry the fur on my cheeks… she then got up "can I get you something?" I forced a smile "a drink would be really nice, thanks" she did a mock courtesy with her dressing-gown and said "as it pleases you, master" in an imitation eighteen-hundreds maid's voice. I laughed "I thought you were meant to be my master, remember?" she cackled "oh yeah, touché, I'm gonna have to give you some commands, my lovely little Lucario-boy!" She came back in holding a glass of orange juice… I gladly accepted it and downed half it's measure in one go "thanks loads, I needed that" she chuckled "that's plain to see… so Greg, apart from what just happened, how's the whole Lucario thing been?" I sat back, putting my arms over the top of the sofa "mixed bag really… I mean, it's really fun, and I think I've gotten used to the whole physical aspect, but there's still some stuff I need to be familiar with" she shrugged "I wouldn't know, but I'll pretend to understand to make you feel better…" I grinned "I still need to work out how to use Aura…"

She looked at me with a mischievous glint in her eye "I've got a punching bag in my room, shall we go try it out?" I rolled my eyes "alright then, but if something goes wrong, it's your fault, not mine" she walked up the stairs, beckoning me to follow "whatever you say, pet" When we got into her room, she pointed to the large cylindrical object hanging by a chain from the ceiling "it was originally there for when I was taking anger-management… but now it's your turn, eh?" I nodded vaguely, looking it over "this isn't like just punching something… I kinda need to learn what to do to use Aura first…" Nancy shrugged "I know this sounds lame, but I'll look it up on the internet… bound to be something…" I threw a few test punches at the bag, it'd been a while since I last used one, and I'd never done it before with paws instead of hands. "Yeah, sure… let me know when you find something" she turned on her PC and it slowly stirred into action, judging by the noises it made it clearly wasn't brand new. "What do you think I should search for, Greg? Your more of a geek than I am" I laughed "ironic then that I became the fighting pokemon then huh?" she gave me a blank look "Fighting and Steel, actually" I grumbled "you know what I meant… and yeah, what to search" she lifted her finger "ohh, how about 'How to use Aura'?" I smiled "sounds really obvious and blatant… let's try it!" she typed in the sentence and began the search, after we sifted through the junk, we managed to find a feasible website named 'Aura Training'. We brought up the information page, and it read as follows…

"My names is Giles Aaron, and for ten years my family history has been my passion. I was overjoyed when, only recently, I discovered I am a blood relative of the great Sir Aaron, the knowledge that I am of his family has kept me content and happy… until now. I have discovered a vault left by the aforementioned ancestor which contains his own personal diary, as one of his few surviving relatives, I have the right to claim it, but I need help. Sir Aaron shared a strong bond with a Lucario, and as a result, he stored this treasured object in such a way that only a Lucario could find it, and so I am willing to make an offer. Any trainer in the possession of a sentient, intelligent Lucario, or a Lucario so sentient that it is reading this text of it's own accord can help me to locate this object, and in return, I shall help to unlock a portion of it's potential through a unique training regime. If this offer interests you and/or your Lucario, don't hesitate to contact me via E-mail on the following address.

P.S: Riolu don't count, they lack the aptitude required."

I paused a moment to take it all in… Nancy grinned from ear to ear "this sounds awesome!" I smiled "yeah… it's almost like some kind of movie, or video-game… let's do it!"


End file.
